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“Do Your Job” has long been associated with the New England Patriots as a call for teammates to deliver their best effort on the playing field. Now the phrase takes on new and broader meaning, as three Patriot players assume the job of questioning candidates who are running for Suffolk County district attorney.

The players — special teams captain Matthew Slater, safety and cocaptain Devin McCourty and his twin brother, cornerback Jason McCourty — are scheduled to moderate a June 19 event at the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Dorchester. The overall goal is admirable: to address social justice issues beyond the symbolism of taking a knee during the national anthem. In this case, it will also bring much-needed extra attention to an important local race.

This contest attracted more than the usual interest after District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced in February he would not seek reelection, after 16 years in office. Five Democrats and an independent are running to replace him. At a recent forum sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, several hundred people packed into Hibernian Hall in Roxbury to hear a discussion of criminal justice reform measures, from incarceration rates to mandatory minimum sentences to the bail system.

See the full article as it appeared in the Boston Globe here.